RPS Eighth Grader Eli B. ’31 Returns to Fanatics Fest as “Kid Reporter”

Rutgers Prep middle schooler Eli B. ’31 put his interviewing skills to work at Fanatics Fest 2026, returning for his fourth year as a “kid reporter” and brand ambassador for CollX, an app for trading card collectors.

Held July 16–19 in New York City, Fanatics Fest brought together athletes, entertainers and members of the sports collectibles community. Eli covered the event for CollX, identifying interview opportunities and often coming up with questions just before the well-known attendees would pass by.

His work at Fanatics Fest and his growing interest in sports media were recently chronicled in a Yahoo! Sports profile. The article looks back at interviews Eli has conducted with influential people including Tom Brady, Victor Wembanyama, and Jay-Z.

Eli’s conversation with Jay-Z began when he called out to the music executive as he walked past. A security guard lifted Eli over the barricade, giving him an opportunity to do an interview that later attracted attention across several social media platforms.

Although Eli is still several years from choosing a career, he already knows the direction he would like to pursue.

“A broadcaster, a sports reporter,” he told Yahoo! Sports. “Just doing what I’m doing right now.”